BENEFITS EXPERT Part-time work and benefits

Q. I have a single claim for Jobseekers Allowance of £73.10 per week. I’ve had the offer of some part time work. Will this affect my Housing Benefit?

AYou can work part time while claiming Jobseekers Allowance so long as you are still available for and looking for full time work, however, if you are claiming Income Based Jobseekers Allowance then your new wage would be taken into account when assessing your claim. If you are single, without any health problems and not responsible for any children then £5 of your wage is ignored; the rest is taken off your Jobseekers Allowance. For example, if you are offered a few hours work and you earn £40 one week, then you would be entitled to £38.10 per week in Jobseekers Allowance. As you would still be entitled to some Jobseekers Allowance then your Housing Benefit would be unaffected. If you earned £80, then the DWP would take £75 off the amount of benefit which you are entitled to receive (£73.10) which would stop your Jobseekers Allowance claim for that week. As you wouldn’t be on Jobseekers Allowance for that week, your Housing Benefit would be affected and you would have a small reduction in the amount you were entitled to.

Q. I currently work, but I’m on the sick at the minute. Do I need to contact the Tax Credits office to inform them?

AYou continue to be entitled to Tax Credits for the first 28 weeks of sickness if you are receiving Statutory Sick Pay from work or if you have claimed Employment and Support Allowance – even if Employment and Support Allowance is not in payment because your household income is too high. After the 28 weeks of sickness, you would need to inform tax credits as you would no longer qualify for the Working Tax Credit to be paid for you, but you would be entitled to a 4 week run-on at the end of your claim.

Q. I am receiving Carer’s Allowance for looking after my wife and I am due to receive my State Pension next month, will this affect my Carer’s Allowance?

ACarer’s Allowance and State Pension are overlapping benefits which means that you cannot be paid both benefits at the same time; you will be paid your State Pension as this is a Contributory benefit, so you have paid into the system and you are entitled to those payments, but the Carer’s Allowance will stop. However, if you qualify for Pension Credit then you will continue to be acknowledged as a carer and can receive up to £34.95 extra Pension Credit each week.